So, who makes the dog clothes with the "My Pet" and "Bones-R-Dry" brand names?

Well, that would be me!

And this is how it all started .....

I've been sewing since I was about 8 years old when Santa brought me my first Peter Pan sewing machine. It clamped to the edge of the table and was hand operated by turning a wheel at the side and did chain stitching. 

Santa very thoughtfully also left a beautiful little book on how to design clothes, make patterns and sew for your doll and yourself. I really treasured that little machine and book and I still have them both!

I learned sewing mostly from my mother who, like most women at that time, was skilled at a variety of "home duties". I had such fun planning and making clothes first for my doll and then later for myself as well as learning embroidery, knitting and crochet! When I was a little older, my Aunty Joyce also helped me. She was considered quite a seamstress. As a pre-teen I was impressed with all the colourful fabrics she had and the fact that she could make her own clothes.

We also learned some sewing and embroidery at school. I remember at primary school how I made myself a pretty blue skirt which had a flower print; and a white peasant blouse with a peter pan collar; and a blue bolero with flowers embroidered on each side at the front to complete the outfit. Not bad for a girl about 10 years old and all done by hand sewing!

Now folks, this was back in ancient times ;-) in the early 1950's so everything was either sewn by hand or on a treadle sewing machine if you were fortunate enough to have one. 

At school it was all hand sewing (no machines available) and the teacher occasionally helped with the back-stitching on the immensely long side seam of the skirt, but she had others to help as well. It was good if you did about 3-4 inches (10 - 13 cms) in a session - we chatted a lot!. It took absolutely ages to sew things, but we learned to persevere. 

Eventually my 3-piece outfit was finished and ready to wear. I felt like a queen! I was completely hooked on being creative! 

Fast forward to going to TAFE doing fashion studies for 3 years. Then many years later continuing my fashion studies and finally setting myself up as a dressmaker.

As time went on, we got a cute little Jack Russell. He shivvered in the cold so it was natural that I made him a little coat. Soon others wanted one for their dog and so my 'business' was born. I sold at craft markets and then was approached and asked to make coats for the Australian Customs department. This expanded into making coats for other Government and business organisations. A (free) promotion of my products on a daytime TV show helped boost my business all around Australia. 

So this is how I used to sew for people ... and how my sewing then 'went to the dogs'!!!